Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season
The Tigers and manager AJ Hinch quietly agreed to a long-term contract extension during the 2025 season, president of baseball operations Scott Harris announced today at his end-of-season press conference (video link). Harris and Hinch did not specify the length of the contract, but Hinch ostensibly is now signed through at least 2027. Harris effused praise for Hinch, calling him one of the best managers in the sport and saying he hopes to continue working with him “as long as I can possibly work with him.”
Hinch, 51, just wrapped up his fifth season as the manager in Detroit. This is already the second time the organization has “proactively” extended him — as Harris phrased it — before the conclusion of his existing contract.
The Tigers have reached the postseason and won a Wild Card series before falling in the ALDS in each of the past two seasons. Hinch’s club has gone 394-416 since he was hired following the 2020 season, though the Tigers spent the first three years of his managerial tenure wrapping up a large-scale rebuilding effort, so it’s hard to ding him for a sub-.500 record. Hinch has spent parts of 12 seasons as a major league manager in Detroit, Houston and Arizona.
With regard to the team’s coaching staff, the Harris/Hinch duo did not specify whether changes are on the horizon. Hinch voiced pride in his staff but noted that there will be an assessment period at all levels within the organization in the days ahead as leadership looks ahead to the 2026 season.
Of course, even if Harris and Hinch fully intend to bring back the same staff, there’s no guarantee that’ll happen. An incredible eight teams are on the hunt for a new manager right now, and it’s common for clubs seeking new skippers to look to the coaching staffs of contending clubs. Even if no Tigers coach is plucked away for a new managerial gig elsewhere, new managers with other teams will also look to contenders’ coaching staffs to fill out their own. If another team is interested in a Tigers assistant pitching coach or assistant hitting coach to take a lead role in their organization, for instance, that could lead to some turnover.
While some changes further down the ladder can’t be ruled out, however, the leaders in the baseball operations department and in the dugout are squarely returning, providing continuity as the Tigers look to capitalize on ace Tarik Skubal‘s final season of club control prior to his entrance into the free-agent market next offseason.
There was never any real thought that Hinch’s job would be in jeopardy, even after his team’s collapse in the season’s final few months. The Tigers floundered down the stretch and ultimately ceded the division crown to the Guardians despite holding a 9.5 game lead in the AL Central as deep into the season as Sept. 10. They rallied to topple Cleveland in the Wild Card round, however, before falling in a 15-inning ALDS Game 5 nailbiter against the AL West champion Mariners.
Fans of any of the incredible eight (!!) teams seeking a new skipper might have hoped that Hinch would potentially be available, but all indications since his hiring in Detroit are that he’s firmly entrenched himself as a pillar of the organization. Harris’ comments today reflect that, and Hinch himself spoke of how much he’s embraced the Tigers organization, the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan. Said Hinch:
“I’m so happy being in Detroit. I’m so proud to be the manager here. I love working for [Harris]. And this is the second time that I was approached and was asked for more — and it was an immediate ‘yes’ for me. When you have an environment that both pushes you and satisfied you, you want to be in it. I was honored. I was thrilled. It was one conversation with my wife, and I went back to Scott with an immediate ‘yes,’ and off we went.
…I can’t tell you how proud I am to be the manager of the Tigers. It’s a rewarding place to be. I bought a home here. We live here the majority of the year and we continue to be thrilled to become more and more Michiganders as a family.”
Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason
Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami is going to be posted by the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. It has long been expected that this would be the case, as it was reported three years ago that the plan was for Murakami to make the MLB move after 2025, but this report confirms that Murakami will be a key free agent to watch this winter.
The timing of the posting is not a coincidence. Under major league baseball’s international free agency rules, a player is considered an “amateur” if he is under the age of 25. These “amateur” players are subject to the international bonus pool system, wherein teams are hard-capped by annual budgets of roughly $4MM to $9MM. This was the case when Roki Sasaki was posted prior to his age-23 season. He eventually signed with the Dodgers and received a $6.5MM signing bonus, far less than he would have received with more open bidding. He is also treated like a minor leaguer, in that he will be making around the league minimum until he qualifies for arbitration and will be under club control until he accrues six years of big league service time.
Murakami won’t be in the same situation as Sasaki. He turned 25 in February will therefore be considered a professional under the current rules. Once he is officially posted, he will be free to negotiate with all 30 clubs for a period of 45 days and will have no restrictions on the kinds of offers he can receive. This situation is more analogous to that of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who also signed with the Dodgers. His 12-year, $325MM deal was in a far different stratosphere compared to Sasaki.
Sasaki was eager enough to come to Major League Baseball that he came young, despite the clearly lesser earning power with that path. Murakami has understandably waited until after his 25th birthday and should be in line for a nice payday.
What remains to be seen is exactly how strong his market will be. In his NPB career, he has shown massive power potential but also real strikeout concerns. He has generally been good for 30 to 40 homers per year, though he had a massive 56-homer season in 2022. This year, he missed a large chunk of the season due to an oblique injury and only got into 56 games, but he managed to launch 22 balls over the fence in that small sample.
He was also punched out 64 times in 224 plate appearances this year, a rate of 28.6%. He had that down to 20.6% during his amazing 2022 season but he’s been above 28% for three straight years now. Overall, he has hit .270/.394/.557 in his NPB career. Since MLB pitching features greater velocity and generally higher quality than NPB pitching, it’s possible his strikeout rate would increase with the move. For reference, the MLB average was 22.2% this year and there were only nine qualified hitters above 28%.
Murakami has primarily been a third baseman during his time with the Swallows. He has also dabbled at first base and even got a brief look in left field this year. Scouting reports have generally pegged him as a middling fielder who will likely end up at first base in the long run.
That will put more pressure on his bat but some clubs may be more comfortable with him playing third base for a few years. Teams will also have varying opinions about how he will be able to adapt to MLB pitching.
For players coming over from Japan, there have been all sorts of different results. As mentioned, Yamamoto had so much strong interest that he was able to secure a 12-year pact with opt-outs. Shota Imanaga got a creative four-year guarantee with a multi-year club option and player option structure after two seasons. Seiya Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida got straight five-year deals worth $85MM and $90MM respectively. Both of those hitters had better NPB batting averages than Murakami but without the same power ceiling.
Since the Dodgers have landed many Japanese stars, many fans expect that to be the outcome here. However, it’s not a perfect roster fit. The Dodgers have Freddie Freeman at first base and Shohei Ohtani in the designated hitter spot. They have an affordable $10MM club option to keep Max Muncy around as their third baseman next year. Signing Murakami can’t be totally ruled out but it may require them to move on from Muncy, who has been a cornerstone of the club for years and is still putting up good numbers, or perhaps try Murakami as an outfielder. Even if Muncy’s option is picked up, he’s slated for free agency after 2026, with Freeman only signed through 2027, so the long-term fit is better than in the short term.
The Red Sox would be a cleaner fit now, since Alex Bregman is likely to opt out of his deal and the club has questions at first base. The Mets have first base open with Pete Alonso set to opt out and they don’t have a clear answer at third base either. The Yankees could put him at first base, with Paul Goldschmidt becoming a free agent and Ben Rice capable of catching. The Cubs have Matt Shaw at third but almost signed Bregman last winter, so perhaps they are still willing to go after an external option there. The Tigers currently have Zach McKinstry at third but he’s capable of playing elsewhere. The Angels don’t have a long-term third base solution due to the ongoing injuries of Anthony Rendon. The Mariners are about to lose Eugenio Suárez to free agency. The Reds don’t have a definite answer at first base.
Over time, his market will become more clear. Whichever club signs him will also owe a posting fee to the Swallows. The posting fee is calculated as 20% of the contract’s first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of spending above $50MM.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees
Cody Bellinger will decline his $25MM player option and become a free agent, reports Jorge Castillo of ESPN. That was never much in doubt, as the outfielder will hit the open market after one strong season with the Yankees. He’ll collect a $5MM buyout, half of which will be paid by the Cubs.
The Yanks had been tied to Bellinger in free agency and trade rumors for years. That finally came to fruition last offseason with what amounted to a salary dump trade with Chicago. Bellinger was coming off a relative down ’24 season (.266/.325/.426) and passed on his first opt-out chance in his three-year deal. The Cubs pulled off the Kyle Tucker trade to add a needed impact bat in the middle of the order. That left them without an outfield spot for Bellinger, so they sent him to the Yankees for essentially no return.
New York absorbed $47.5MM of the $52.5MM remaining on Bellinger’s contract. The Cubs paid $2.5MM of his $27.5MM salary this season and are responsible for the other $2.5MM on the buyout. The Yankees wound up paying $27.5MM for one year — $25MM in salary and the remaining half of the buyout.
That proved a worthwhile investment even if the team had a disappointing exit in this week’s Division Series. Bellinger played about as well as could be expected. He hit .272/.334/.480 across 656 plate appearances. Bellinger hit 29 homers, his best single-season total since he connected on 47 longballs during his 2019 MVP season. He swiped 13 bases while cutting his strikeout rate to a career-low 13.7% clip.
Bellinger’s left-handed swing seemed tailor made for Yankee Stadium. He hit 18 homers with a .302/.365/.544 batting line at home. His road numbers were essentially league average, as he slashed .241/.301/.414 outside the Bronx. That could give some teams pause about how the bat will play if he signs elsewhere. Bellinger didn’t find the robust market he wanted when he was a free agent during the 2023-24 offseason, nor was there significant trade interest when the Cubs shopped him last winter. If there were, the Yankees would’ve needed to give up more than journeyman righty Cody Poteet to acquire him.
That’s largely because of Bellinger’s pedestrian batted ball metrics. He has been in the bottom quarter of the league in average exit velocity in each of the past three seasons. He doesn’t have a ton of bat speed and certainly doesn’t hit the ball as hard as he did early in his career — before he suffered a shoulder injury that tanked his numbers between 2021-22. Bellinger has compensated for the drop in bat speed by cutting his strikeouts every season, and he carries a .281/.338/.477 line in nearly 1800 plate appearances over the past three years.
Bellinger returns to the market a few months after his 30th birthday. He’s young enough to seek a five- or six-year deal. Bellinger is a better defender and arguably superior all-around hitter than Anthony Santander, who signed for five years with a net present value around $69MM last winter. There’s little reason Bellinger shouldn’t beat that contract fairly handily. It wouldn’t at all be surprising if his camp starts out with an asking price in the $100-150MM range.
The Cubs issued Bellinger a qualifying offer after the 2023 season. That makes him ineligible to receive a QO for the rest of his career. The Yankees would not receive any kind of compensation if he signs elsewhere, nor would another team forfeit a pick. New York can and probably will make a qualifying offer, which would land around $22MM, to Trent Grisham. They’re also set to have Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Paul Goldschmidt and a handful of role players hit the open market. Williams entered the season as a qualifying offer candidate, but the Yankees are probably content to let him move on after an uneven season in pinstripes.
Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal
6:22pm: Bob Nightengale of USA Today writes that the Angels have not yet made Pujols an official offer, though he confirms that the interview went well.
6:00pm: It seems the Angels have made up their mind about their next manager, though he still has to agree. According to a report from Sam Blum and Katie Woo of The Athletic, the job is going to go to Albert Pujols as long as he wants it. Per the report, Pujols met with general manager Perry Minasian last night and the meeting went well. Discussions on a deal are in the works but there’s not yet an agreement in place.
It was reported just over a week ago that Pujols would interview for the job and would be a frontrunner. That was just a few days after it was reported that neither Ron Washington nor Ray Montgomery would be back in the job. Washington opened the 2025 season as the skipper but was away for most of the year due to quadruple bypass surgery, with Montgomery covering for him on an interim basis. Torii Hunter has also been reported as a candidate but today’s reporting indicates that Hunter would only be a real consideration if things fall through with Pujols.
Per Blum and Woo, the Angels hope to make an official announcement before the World Series, though there are still some contractual things to work out. The report suggests that Pujols’s personal services contract could be a factor.
The ten-year, $240MM contract he signed with the Angels in 2011 included a ten-year, $10MM personal services contract for after his retirement as a player. He finished his playing career after the 2022 season. He had been released by the Angels and then spent some time with the Dodgers and Cardinals. In February of 2023, he rejoined the Angels as a special assistant to honor that personal services pact. Since he’s only three seasons into that deal, there are seven years left. It’s not clear how the existing contract would impact whatever is being negotiated for him to take the skipper job.
Pujols has previously expressed an interest in becoming a manager but has no experience in affiliated ball, either as a manager or as a coach. He managed Leones del Escogido, a Dominican winter ball team, last offseason. The Leones won the Serie Final over Tigres del Licey in seven games. Pujols is slated to manage the Dominican Republic national team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic but would presumably have to bow out of that gig if he signs with the Angels.
Assuming the sides are able to cross the T’s and dot the I’s, then Pujols will be in the Angels dugout yet again. It feels like a fait accompli at this point, as Blum and Woo report that the coaching staff negotiations are also already in motion. The report notes that former big leaguer Ramón Martínez, brother of Pedro Martínez, is Pujols’s top choice for pitching coach. Barry Enright has been the Halos’ pitching coach for the past two years but it’s fairly common for new managers to make some coaching changes.
The Halos haven’t had a winning season since 2015. Mike Scioscia had a long run as the club’s skipper, from 2000 to 2018. Since then, as the club has struggled, there has been a lot more turnover. Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin, Washington and Montgomery have been at the helm in recent years. It seems Pujols will likely be the next guy to get a chance to turn the ship around.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Jairaj, Imagn Images
Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
Matt Swartz has created a model to project salaries for arbitration eligible players, which we’ve been publishing at MLB Trade Rumors for 15 years.
In the baseball industry, teams and agents determine arbitration salaries by identifying comparable players. To project the entire arbitration class in this way would take a massive amount of time and effort. So, Matt has developed an algorithm to project arbitration salaries that looks at the player’s playing time, position, role, and performance statistics while accounting for inflation. The performance of comparable players matters, but our system is not directly selecting individual comps for each individual player.
As a disclaimer, it should be emphasized that our projections are not to be used as a scorecard for the agent and team on an individual player level. A player doing better or worse than our projection isn’t indicative of anything. Our arbitration projections are created as a tool for our readers to get a general idea of a team’s payroll situation.
While the service time figures included are official, there is not yet an established Super Two cutoff, which delineates which players with between two and three years of service qualify for early arbitration. That could lead to a few late entrants being added to the list. It’s also worth noting that contracts signed prior to the non-tender deadline aren’t generally considered to be normal arbitration comparables; contracts signed prior to that deadline can be skewed by light offers that are presented to borderline non-tender candidates in take-it-or-leave-it fashion (with “leave it,” in such instances, being a non-tender). That’s not universal to all pre-tender deals but is frequently applicable.
One other note: it’s increasingly common for teams to negotiate one-year deals with club options or mutual options covering an additional arbitration season. We’ve noted all of the players who have an option for the 2025 season under the terms of a prior agreement. If the team buys out that option, the player does not become a free agent. He simply is paid whatever buyout (if any) was agreed upon under the terms of the prior agreement and heads back through the arbitration process again this winter.
If you find MLBTR’s arbitration projections useful, please consider supporting us with a subscription. Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers received early access to these arbitration projections, and the subscription also includes the best research tools you can get without actually working for an MLB team: our contract tracker, our agency database and our GM tracker.
The projections:
Angels (10)
- Taylor Ward (5.164): $13.7MM
- Brock Burke (5.045): $2MM
- Connor Brogdon (4.090): $1MM
- Jo Adell (4.085): $5.5MM
- Carson Fulmer (4.018): $1.2MM
- Reid Detmers (3.159): $2.6MM
- Jose Soriano (3.121): $3.2MM
- Carter Kieboom (3.009): $800K
- Logan O’Hoppe (3.008): $2.9MM
- Zach Neto (2.170): $4.1MM
Astros (16)
- Mauricio Dubon (5.162): $5.8MM
- Steven Okert (5.089): $2MM
- Luis Garcia (5.083): $2.2MM
- Ramon Urias (5.025): $4.4MM
- Bryan Abreu (5.022): $5.9MM
- Enyel De Los Santos (5.015): $2.1MM
- Chas McCormick (4.161): $3.4MM
- Isaac Paredes (4.160): $9.3MM
- Jesus Sanchez (4.118): $6.5MM
- Jake Meyers (4.044): $3.5MM
- Jeremy Pena (4.000): $7.9MM
- Hunter Brown (3.035): $5.7MM
- Yainer Diaz (3.035): $4.5MM
- Hayden Wesneski (2.170): $1.5MM
- Bennett Sousa (2.156): $1.1MM
- Taylor Trammell (2.144): $900K
Athletics (5)
- Austin Wynns (5.017): $1.8MM
- Shea Langeliers (3.051): $5.1MM
- JJ Bleday (3.029): $2.2MM
- Ken Waldichuk (2.150): $900K
- Luis Medina (2.149): $900K
Blue Jays (7)
- Daulton Varsho (5.128): $9.7MM
- Eric Lauer (5.091): $4.4MM
- Dillon Tate (5.018): $1.7MM
- Nick Sandlin (4.157): $2MM
- Ernie Clement (3.168): $4.3MM
- Ryan Burr (3.109): $800K
- Tyler Heineman (3.066): $1MM
Braves (9)
- Jake Fraley (5.097): $3.6MM
- Joel Payamps (4.117): $3.4MM
- Jose Suarez (4.064): $1.5MM
- Alek Manoah (4.063): $2.2MM
- Dylan Lee (3.150): $1.9MM
- Eli White (3.140): $1.2MM
- Vidal Brujan (3.014): $800K
- Joey Wentz (2.166): $1.1MM
- Nick Allen (2.164): $1.5MM
Brewers (7)
- Jake Bauers (5.084): $2MM
- Andrew Vaughn (4.142): $7.8MM
- William Contreras (4.112): $11.1MM (Brewers hold a $12MM club option with a $100K buyout)
- Nick Mears (4.022): $1.6MM
- Trevor Megill (4.002): $4.2MM
- Garrett Mitchell (3.040): $1MM
- Brice Turang (2.165): $4.4MM
Cardinals (9)
- Jorge Alcala (5.165): $2.1MM
- JoJo Romero (5.045): $4.4MM
- John King (4.148): $2.1MM
- Lars Nootbaar (4.076): $5.7MM
- Brendan Donovan (4.000): $5.4MM
- Andre Pallante (3.145): $3.4MM
- Nolan Gorman (3.114): $2.9MM
- Alec Burleson (3.029): $3.5MM
- Matthew Liberatore (2.144): $2.8MM
Cubs (4)
- Reese McGuire (5.110): $1.9MM
- Justin Steele (4.143): $6.55MM
- Eli Morgan (4.091): $1.1MM
- Javier Assad (3.027): $1.9MM
Diamondbacks (11)
- Ildemaro Vargas (5.129): $1.4MM
- A.J. Puk (5.124): $3.3MM
- Ryan Thompson (5.095): $3.9MM
- Kevin Ginkel (5.033): $3MM
- John Curtiss (4.078): $1.2MM
- Pavin Smith (4.015): $2.4MM
- Alek Thomas (3.103): $2.2MM
- Kyle Nelson (3.081): $1MM
- Jake McCarthy (3.074): $1.9MM
- Gabriel Moreno (3.061): $2.4MM
- Ryne Nelson (3.020): $3.3MM
Dodgers (9)
- Brusdar Graterol (5.167): $2.8MM
- Tony Gonsolin (5.152): $5.4MM
- Evan Phillips (5.136): $6.1MM
- Alex Vesia (5.078): $4.1MM (Dodgers hold a $3.65MM club option with a $50K buyout)
- Anthony Banda (4.135): $1.7MM
- Brock Stewart (4.093): $1.4MM
- Ben Rortvedt (3.135): $1.3MM
- Michael Grove (3.031): $800K
- Alex Call (2.161): $1.5MM
Giants (5)
- JT Brubaker (5.162): $2.1MM
- Andrew Knizner (5.090): $1.3MM
- Joey Lucchesi (5.047): $2MM
- Ryan Walker (2.136): $2.5MM
- Patrick Bailey (2.136): $2.2MM
Guardians (8)
- Kolby Allard (5.004): $1.9MM
- Sam Hentges (4.157): $1.3375MM
- Steven Kwan (4.000): $8.8MM
- Ben Lively (3.133): $2.7MM
- Nolan Jones (3.007): $2MM
- Will Brennan (2.155): $900K
- David Fry (2.154): $1.2MM
- Matt Festa (2.153): $1MM
Marlins (7)
- Anthony Bender (4.153): $2.3MM
- Braxton Garrett (3.168): $1.53MM
- Edward Cabrera (3.147): $3.7MM
- Ryan Weathers (3.066): $1.5MM
- Andrew Nardi (3.053): $800K
- Max Meyer (2.166): $1.3MM
- Calvin Faucher (2.156): $1.9MM
Mariners (10)
- Trent Thornton (5.148): $2.5MM
- Randy Arozarena (5.129): $18.2MM
- Logan Gilbert (4.144): $10MM
- Gabe Speier (4.000): $1.7MM
- George Kirby (3.151): $5.4MM
- Tayler Saucedo (3.146): $1.1MM
- Matt Brash (3.121): $1.8MM
- Luke Raley (3.106): $1.8MM
- Gregory Santos (3.055): $800K
- Bryce Miller (2.153): $2.4MM
- Jackson Kowar (2.139): $800K
Mets (9)
- Luis Torrens (5.105): $2.2MM
- Tyrone Taylor (5.093): $3.6MM
- David Peterson (5.089): $7.6MM
- Nick Madrigal (5.087): $1.35MM
- Tylor Megill (4.031): $2.6MM
- Max Kranick (3.011): $1MM
- Huascar Brazoban (2.170): $1.3MM
- Francisco Alvarez (2.164): $2.4MM
- Reed Garrett (2.143): $1.4MM
Nationals (9)
- Jorge Alfaro (5.160): $1MM
- Luis Garcia Jr. (4.142): $7MM
- Josiah Gray (4.075): $1.35MM
- Mason Thompson (4.022): $1MM
- MacKenzie Gore (4.000): $4.7MM
- Riley Adams (3.171): $1.5MM
- CJ Abrams (3.130): $5.6MM
- Jake Irvin (2.152): $3.3MM
- Cade Cavalli (2.141): $1.3MM
Orioles (14)
- Ryan Mountcastle (5.105): $7.8MM
- Keegan Akin (5.083): $3MM
- Dylan Carlson (5.067): $1.5MM
- Trevor Rogers (5.047): $6MM
- Tyler Wells (4.132): $2.7MM
- Jose Castillo (4.112): $1.7MM
- Dean Kremer (4.112): $5.1MM
- Adley Rutschman (4.000): $6.8MM
- Felix Bautista (4.000): $2.1MM
- Kyle Bradish (3.160): $2.8MM
- Yennier Cano (3.065): $1.8MM
- Gunnar Henderson (3.036): $6.6MM
- Alex Jackson (3.036): $1.8MM
- Albert Suarez (3.019): $900K
Padres (7)
- Adrian Morejon (5.140): $3.6MM
- Jason Adam (5.132): $6.8MM
- Gavin Sheets (4.076): $4.3MM
- JP Sears (3.065): $3.5MM
- Luis Campusano (3.003): $1MM
- Mason Miller (2.166): $3.4MM
- Freddy Fermin (2.165: $1.8MM
Phillies (9)
- Jesus Luzardo (5.165): $10.4MM
- Edmundo Sosa (5.140): $3.9MM
- Alec Bohm (5.106): $10.3MM
- Garrett Stubbs (4.148): $925K
- Brandon Marsh (4.078): $4.5MM
- Jhoan Duran (4.000): $7.6MM
- Bryson Stott (4.000): $5.8MM
- Tanner Banks (3.092): $1.2MM
- Rafael Marchan (3.006): $1MM
Pirates (9)
- Dennis Santana (5.126): $3.4MM
- Johan Oviedo (4.078): $2MM
- Joey Bart (4.020): $2.7MM
- Justin Lawrence (3.167): $1.2MM
- Yohan Ramirez (3.135): $1.2MM
- Colin Holderman (3.120): $1.7MM
- Oneil Cruz (3.110): $3.6MM
- Dauri Moreta (3.056): $800K
- Jack Suwinski (2.170): $1.7MM
Rangers (9)
- Jonah Heim (5.097): $6MM
- Adolis Garcia (5.095): $12.1MM
- Josh Sborz (5.055): $1.1MM
- Jacob Webb (5.046): $2MM
- Sam Haggerty (5.007): $1.4MM
- Josh Smith (3.129): $3MM
- Jake Burger (3.127): $3.5MM
- Ezequiel Duran (3.050): $1.4MM
- Josh Jung (3.023): $2.9MM
Rays (17)
- Shane McClanahan (4.158): $3.6MM
- Cole Sulser (4.096): $1.2MM
- Taylor Walls (4.092): $2MM (Rays hold a $2.45MM club option with a $50K buyout)
- Griffin Jax (4.091): $3.6MM
- Garrett Cleavinger (4.060): $2.1MM
- Shane Baz (3.158): $3.1MM
- Nick Fortes (3.149): $2.4MM
- Christopher Morel (3.117): $2.6MM
- Stuart Fairchild (3.114): $900K
- Josh Lowe (3.093): $2.9MM
- Bryan Baker (3.049): $1.5MM
- Ryan Pepiot (3.005): $3.7MM
- Alex Faedo (2.169): $800K
- Kevin Kelly (2.156): $1MM
- Richie Palacios (2.156): $1MM
- Edwin Uceta (2.150): $1.4MM
- Manuel Rodriguez (2.139): $1.2MM
Red Sox (9)
- Nathaniel Lowe (5.145): $13.5MM
- Tanner Houck (4.100): $3.95MM
- Jarren Duran (3.155): $8.4MM (Red Sox hold an $8MM club option with a $100K buyout)
- Kutter Crawford (3.136): $2.75MM
- Romy Gonzalez (3.083): $1.8MM
- Connor Wong (3.079): $1.6MM
- Triston Casas (3.032): $1.7MM
- Josh Winckowski: (3.003): $800K
- Brennan Bernardino (2.150): $1.1MM
Reds (14)
- Brady Singer (5.156): $11.9MM
- Santiago Espinal (5.149): $2.9MM
- Gavin Lux (5.114): $5MM
- Tyler Stephenson (5.056): $6.4MM
- Ian Gibaut (4.077): $1.5MM
- Sam Moll (4.023): $1.2MM
- Nick Lodolo (4.000): $4.3MM
- Graham Ashcraft (3.130): $1.4MM
- TJ Friedl (3.112): $4.9MM
- Tony Santillan (3.099): $2.4MM
- Spencer Steer (3.035): $4.5MM
- Will Benson (3.003): $1.7MM
- Matt McLain (2.140): $2.6MM
- Brandon Williamson (2.139): $800K
Rockies (7)
- Thairo Estrada (5.153): $3.8MM (Estrada’s contract contains a $7MM mutual option with a $750K buyout)
- Jimmy Herget (4.069): $1.5MM
- Mickey Moniak (4.027): $4.2MM
- Lucas Gilbreath (3.150): $900K
- Ryan Feltner (3.071): $2.3MM
- Tyler Freeman (3.046): $1.8MM
- Brenton Doyle (2.161): $3.2MM
Royals (16)
- Taylor Clarke (5.148): $1.9MM
- Kris Bubic (5.135): $6MM
- John Schreiber (5.027): $3.8MM
- Jonathan India (5.000): $7.4MM
- Kyle Wright (4.151): $1.8MM
- Kyle Isbel (4.043): $2.7MM
- Bailey Falter (3.138): $3.3MM
- Daniel Lynch IV (3.136): $1.3MM
- Sam Long (3.121): $950K
- Vinnie Pasquantino (3.101): $5.4MM
- Angel Zerpa (3.082): $1.2MM
- Michael Massey (3.068): $2MM
- MJ Melendez (3.016): $2.65MM
- Maikel Garcia (2.168): $4.8MM
- James McArthur (2.150): $800K
- Lucas Erceg (2.136): $1.9MM
Tigers (15)
- Tanner Rainey (5.167): $1.6MM
- Tarik Skubal (5.114): $17.8MM
- Casey Mize (5.111): $5.4MM
- Jake Rogers (5.040): $2.9MM
- Will Vest (4.100): $3.3MM
- Zach McKinstry (4.099): $3.5MM
- Matt Vierling (4.026): $3.1MM
- Jason Foley (3.150): $3.15MM
- Alex Lange (3.145): $900K
- Andy Ibanez (3.133): $1.8MM
- Riley Greene (3.110): $6.6MM
- Spencer Torkelson (3.076): $5.1MM
- Kerry Carpenter (3.057): $3.5MM
- Beau Brieske (3.056): $1.3MM
- Tyler Holton (3.047): $1.7MM
Twins (10)
- Genesis Cabrera (5.149): $1.4MM
- Ryan Jeffers (5.089): $6.6MM
- Justin Topa (5.044): $1.7MM (Twins hold a $2MM club option with a $225K buyout)
- Michael Tonkin (5.044): $1.4MM
- Bailey Ober (4.093): $4.6MM
- Joe Ryan (4.033): $5.8MM
- Trevor Larnach (4.014): $4.7MM
- Royce Lewis (3.142): $3MM
- Anthony Misiewicz (3.082): $1.1MM
- Cole Sands (3.017): $1.3MM
White Sox (3)
- Mike Tauchman (5.143): $3.4MM
- Steven Wilson (3.166): $1.5MM
- Derek Hill (3.040): $1MM
Yankees (14)
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. (5.075): $10.2MM
- David Bednar (5.073): $9MM
- Mark Leiter Jr. (5.031): $3MM
- Clarke Schmidt (4.148): $4.9MM
- Camilo Doval (4.071): $6.6MM
- Jake Cousins (3.091): $841K
- Ian Hamilton (3.081): $941K
- Luis Gil (3.073): $2.1MM
- Scott Effross (3.063): $800K
- Jake Bird (3.051): $1MM
- Oswaldo Cabrera (3.050): $1.2MM
- Fernando Cruz (3.035): $1.3MM
- Anthony Volpe (3.000): $3.9MM
- Jose Caballero (2.170): $1.9MM
Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager
The Rangers have officially named Skip Schumaker their new manager. The 2023 NL Manager of the Year signed a four-year contract to become the 21st full-time skipper in franchise history. Schumaker’s hiring comes just four days after the team announced that future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy would not be back for a fourth season.
“We are thrilled to announce this promotion and have Skip leading this club in the dugout,” president of baseball operations Chris Young said in a press release. “Over his past year as a senior advisor to our baseball operations group, Skip has proven to be driven, passionate and thorough in everything he does. He has a winning spirit and energy, and we are fortunate that someone so highly regarded in the industry has agreed to become our manager.”
The team also released a brief statement from Schumaker himself. “I am honored and excited for this opportunity to manage the Rangers,” he said. “While I attained a good understanding of the organization through my front office role this past season, the conversations with Chris Young, (general manager) Ross Fenstermaker, and others this week have only intensified my interest in this opportunity. I can’t wait to begin the work for 2026.”
This move has been telegraphed for almost a year. As mentioned in the club’s announcement, Schumaker joined the Texas organization last November as a senior advisor. That came a few weeks after he stepped down as manager of the Marlins after two seasons. It immediately raised speculation that Schumaker would be the successor whenever the 70-year-old Bochy decided to go in a different direction.
The rapidity of the hiring confirms this was the preferred outcome. Young told reporters this morning the club was not speaking with any candidates outside the organization (relayed by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News). It was only a matter of days for the team to finalize a contract that gets Schumaker back in the dugout.
A utility infielder during his playing career, Schumaker was a longtime role player for the Cardinals. He began his coaching days in San Diego, then returned to St. Louis as Oli Marmol’s bench coach for the 2022 season. Schumaker got his first managerial opportunity with the Marlins one year later. He signed a two-year deal with a club option for the ’25 campaign to lead what was viewed as a rebuilding Miami team.
The Fish outperformed expectations in 2023, winning 84 games and snagging a Wild Card spot. Unsatisfied with the team’s player development pipeline, owner Bruce Sherman made a change atop the front office at year’s end. Peter Bendix was brought in as president of baseball operations. General manager Kim Ng stepped down rather than work as the #2 executive after leading the front office for the preceding three seasons.
Bendix was unconvinced that Miami’s winning season really opened a contention window. They’d gotten to the playoffs despite being outscored by 57 runs. The Phillies comfortably swept them out of the first round. Ownership certainly wasn’t going to approve significant free agent spending. As Bendix geared up for the team’s latest rebuild, the Marlins agreed to void their option on Schumaker’s contract. He managed out a 100-loss season in 2024 and confirmed the long-apparent news that he would not be back for a third year in South Florida as soon as the season ended.
The sour finish has not detracted from Schumaker’s reputation as one of the sport’s top young managers. It doesn’t appear as though he seriously pursued a position last offseason. He was loosely tied to the White Sox vacancy that eventually went to Will Venable — ironically, the previous presumed successor to Bochy in Arlington — but decided to spend a season in the Texas front office while keeping his options open for 2026.
Schumaker steps into a dugout that might be in the midst of its own youth movement. The Rangers have disappointed in each of the past two seasons after winning the World Series during Bochy’s first year. The franchise has dealt with revenue losses related to the collapse of its local broadcast contract, leading to what is expected to be a reduced payroll. In announcing Bochy’s departure, Young told reporters the club was dealing with financial uncertainty and would place more emphasis on development of young players.
A roster shakeup was necessary anyhow. Their veteran lineup simply hasn’t been good enough over the past two seasons. It’d be a surprise if at least one or two of Adolis García, Jonah Heim, Josh Jung and Jake Burger weren’t traded or non-tendered. Texas still has four huge contracts on the books for Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Nathan Eovaldi. They’ll be saddled with Joc Pederson’s $18.5MM salary when he inevitably exercises his player option.
Trading any of deGrom, Eovaldi or Seager would signify a greater teardown than seems likely. They’d need to eat a lot of the remaining three years and $72MM on Semien’s contract to find any interest, and Pederson stands a better chance of being released than traded. There’s a good chance all five of those players are back, but there should be significant turnover among their group of arbitration-eligible hitters.
A 1-2 punch of deGrom and Eovaldi may alone be enough to keep them in the playoff hunt next year if both aces can stay healthy. They’ll need more foundational lineup pieces around Seager, Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and eventually top prospect Sebastian Walcott if they’re to have consistent success throughout the Schumaker era.
There are now seven open or uncertain managerial positions around the game. The Giants and Twins fired Bob Melvin and Rocco Baldelli, respectively, at season’s end. The Angels announced they were not exercising Ron Washington’s club option for 2026, nor would they bring back interim skipper Ray Montgomery. Brian Snitker retired after leading the Braves for nine and a half seasons. The Nationals (Miguel Cairo), Rockies (Warren Schaeffer) and Orioles (Tony Mansolino) ended the year with interim managers after midseason firings. None of those teams have announced whether their interim candidates will get the position on a full-time basis.
Image courtesy of Orlando Ramirez, USA Today Sports.
Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”
Albert Pujols could be returning to Anaheim, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Angels are planning to interview the future Hall-of-Famer for their managerial opening. Beyond just being a candidate for the job, Pujols already looks like a favorite, as The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Katie Woo, and Ken Rosenthal write that “Pujols is believed to be the leading choice” for Angels owner Arte Moreno. A source close to Pujols says “the decision may be Pujols’ to make” in regards to whether or not he’ll take the job.
Reports emerged yesterday that the Halos were making a change in the dugout, as neither Ron Washington nor Ray Montgomery would be managing the team in 2026. Washington took a leave of absence in June after undergoing a quadruple bypass, and Montgomery (previously the team’s bench coach) took over as interim manager for the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
Montgomery told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he is deciding whether or not to accept an offer to remain in the Angels organization in another role. As for Washington, the Angels held a club option on his services for next season, but chose to decline that option in favor of a new face as skipper.
Or, perhaps not an entirely new face if Pujols ends up as the hire. Pujols spent parts of 10 seasons playing with Los Angeles, hitting .256/.311/.447 with 222 home runs after signing a 10-year, $240MM free agent contract in the 2011-12 offseason. Much more was expected from Pujols given the size of the deal and his past superstar-level production with the Cardinals, but between injuries and age (Pujols was entering his age-32 season at the time of the signing), the slugger hit the decline phase that most players experience during their 30s.
In theory, the tandem of Pujols and the emerging Mike Trout (and by 2018, Shohei Ohtani) would’ve promised a glorious era of Angels baseball. Los Angeles did post winning records in four of Pujols’ first five years with the team, though only the 98-win 2014 squad made the playoffs, and the Angels were swept out of the ALDS by the Royals. That remains the Halos’ last postseason appearance, and the team hasn’t had a winning season since 2015.
With Pujols’ numbers falling off and Ohtani’s presence covering the DH position, the Angels decided to designate Pujols for assignment in May 2021 and then released him soon after. Pujols moved across town to sign with the Dodgers for the rest of the 2021 campaign, and then played one final season in St. Louis, turning back to the clock to hit .270/345/.550 with 24 homers in 351 plate appearances during his farewell.
Since retiring, Pujols has still been an Angels employee, due to the 10-year personal services contract that was attached to his free agent deal for his post-playing days. He been open about eventually wanting to return to baseball as a coach or manager, and he has been a special instructor during the Halos’ spring camps, and a skipper in the Dominican Winter League. Pujols’ most high-profile managerial gig is slated for this coming spring at the World Baseball Classic when he is slated to helm the Dominican Republic’s team, though those plans will naturally change if he is hired to manage the Angels.
Pujols’ lack of direct MLB managing or coaching experience doesn’t make him all that different from some other recent managers who were hired to run teams shortly after their careers were over. It is increasingly rare to see a true superstar-level talent move into a managerial role, though naturally plenty of Hall-of-Famers have also become skippers (or, back in the day, even served as player-managers).
The idea of Pujols returning as manager to try and restore the Halos to prominence carries some natural intrigue. If the ball is truly in Pujols’ court about whether he wants the job or not, he may view his past history in Anaheim as part of the challenge, and beginning his managerial career in a familiar environment undoubtedly holds some appeal. In a sense, there is nowhere to go but up, given how the Angels are on a decade-long run of losing seasons. Since seven other teams besides the Angels are also looking for managers this offseason, it is possible Pujols could emerge as a candidate for one of those positions as well.
Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM
The Rockies announced Wednesday that general manager Bill Schmidt is stepping down from his post. While Schmidt and the team framed it as a mutual parting of ways, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports that Schmidt was fired. Regardless, they’ve begun a search to bring in a new head of baseball operations from outside the organization, according to the team.
“After a number of conversations, we decided it is time for me to step aside and make way for a new voice to guide the club’s baseball operations,” Schmidt said within this morning’s press release. “It’s been an honor to serve the Rockies family for over 25 years. I’m thankful to the Monfort family for the opportunity, to my family for their constant support, and our staff for their tireless dedication. Better seasons are ahead for the Rockies and our great fans, and I look forward to seeing it come to life in the years ahead.”
Schmidt spent four-plus seasons as the GM in Colorado, originally taking over for Jeff Bridich after Bridich was fired during the 2021 season. The Rockies quickly stripped away the interim title following the season and named Schmidt the full-time general manager — just the fourth GM in Rockies franchise history. As was the case with predecessors Bridich and Dan O’Dowd, Schmidt was an internal promotion. He’d previously served as the club’s scouting director dating back to the 2000 season.
The move to hire someone from outside the organization represents a major ideological shift. Owner Dick Monfort would surely prefer to describe his family as loyal — perhaps to a fault — but onlookers and critics would frame the Rockies as an insular organization that has fallen behind the times. Colorado’s baseball operations and analytics departments are reportedly among the smallest in Major League Baseball, if not the smallest. Beyond remaking the roster, the incoming baseball operations head will also have ample work to do in modernizing and bolstering the team’s infrastructure.
“Bill’s departure allows our club to seek a new leader of our baseball department experienced in areas where we know we need to grow within the operation,” Monfort said in the press release.
Monfort’s son, Walker, who was promoted to executive vice president this past June, added: “A new voice will benefit our organization as we work towards giving our fans the competitive team they deserve. We are setting our sights on finding the right leader from outside our organization who can bring a fresh perspective to the Rockies and enhance our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation and a focus on both short and long-term success.”
The Rockies, under Schmidt and Bridich before him, have enjoyed little to no success. Colorado hasn’t made the postseason since back-to-back Wild Card appearances in 2017-18. Those were just the fourth and fifth postseason berths of what is now the franchise’s 33-year history. The Rockies have never won the National League West. This year’s 43-119 record is the worst in franchise history and marks their third consecutive 100-loss season.
As Saunders points out in his piece, this year’s collective 6.65 ERA from the Rockies’ rotation is the worst mark by any club since earned run average became an officially tracked statistic back in 1913. Among the 12 pitchers to start a game for the Rockies this year, only Kyle Freeland (4.98), Ryan Feltner (4.75) and Ryan Rolison (0.00) had an ERA under 5.00. Feltner made only six starts due to injury. Rolison “started” one game, tossing a scoreless inning as an opener.
Schmidt’s four-plus seasons as general manager saw the Rockies move away from the prior core featuring notable veterans like Jon Gray, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon and Ryan McMahon. While there have been some high points — the emergence of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and catcher Hunter Goodman, most notably — they’ve been vastly outweighed by missteps that have left the club with a roster devoid of talent and a barren farm system. Baseball America ranked the Rockies’ system 27th following this year’s draft and trade deadline — the same as when Schmidt took over as permanent general manager.
The Rockies have regularly opted not to trade players at peak value even in losing seasons, holding onto Story, Gray, German Marquez and Daniel Bard, among many others, when any could have been valuable trade chips at the deadline. Colorado netted a draft pick for Story’s departure when he rejected a qualifying offer and signed in Boston, but Gray simply left with no compensation for the organization. Bard, rather than being traded at the 2022 deadline, instead signed a two-year, $19MM extension that did not pan out well for the team. This year’s trade of McMahon to the Yankees marked a notable change in direction, but even that decision was arguably made a year too late. Schmidt was also in the GM chair when Colorado signed Kris Bryant to a disastrous $182MM contract, though that decision very likely falls more on ownership than the front office.
Beyond the team’s distaste for trading veteran players to bring in young talent, the Rockies haven’t capitalized on their perennially high selections in the amateur draft. Colorado hasn’t selected lower than tenth in the draft since 2019, but none of their top picks in that time — Charlie Condon, Chase Dollander, Gabriel Hughes, Benny Montgomery, Zac Veen — have made an impact on the team to date. Condon and Dollander remain promising, well-regarded young players, but Condon’s selection over likely AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz (who went to the A’s one pick later) now looks glaring, even if it was sensible at the time. The last Rockies day one pick with even one WAR, per Baseball-Reference, was Brendan Rodgers, whom they selected third overall back in 2015.
Overhauling this operation will be a daunting task — one that’ll surely take multiple years. The Rockies will need to significantly build out their baseball operations, analytics and player development departments and build a farm system practically from the ground up. That’ll need to happen without the benefit of shopping many players on the current roster, as the majority of their team possesses minimal trade value — as one would expect from a club that just lost 119 games. There are a handful of big leaguers who could bring back a notable return on the trade market, but Schmidt’s ouster has the feel of a total system reboot that could very well see the team extend its streak of 100-loss seasons.
Brian Snitker Will Not Return As Braves’ Manager In 2026
The Braves will have a new manager in 2026. Brian Snitker has informed the team that he will not continue in the dugout beyond the 2025 season, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. Snitker will remain with the organization as a senior advisor but will hand over the reins in the dugout to a new hire. The Braves formally announced the decision just minutes after Passan’s report and added that Snitker will be inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame prior to a game next season.
The 69-year-old Snitker has spent the past decade as the Braves’ manager but has been in the organization for a staggering 49 years. He’s previously managed at nearly every minor league level in the system and held roles as the major league bullpen coach and third base coach.
Snitker was named interim manager in May 2016, when the organization dismissed then-skipper Fredi Gonzalez, who’d been on the job since 2011. Snitker quickly shed the interim label that offseason after an Atlanta club that started the season in a 9-28 swoon rallied to a more respectable 59-65 showing. Snitker signed a two-year contract to see the team through a rebuild but emerged as a mainstay in the dugout on the other side of that youth movement. The Braves won 90 games in 2018, leading to not only their first postseason appearance in five years — but an NL Manager of the Year win for Snitker.
Atlanta has since extended Snitker multiple times. The Braves organization lifer has compiled an 811-668 record as the big league skipper, overseen seven postseason berths (including six straight division titles) and, of course, guided the team to a victory in the 2021 World Series. He’ll step down as the skipper with the second-most wins in Atlanta Braves history, trailing only Bobby Cox’s 2,149. (Frank Selee’s 1,004 wins for the then-Boston Beaneaters in the late 1800s technically stand as second in franchise history.)
The 2025 season was the final year on Snitker’s contract. Between that and the fact that he’ll turn 70 later this month, he’s faced plenty of questions and speculation about his future throughout the season. He’s remained noncommittal and focused on his duties in the dugout but never firmly dismissed the possibility of continuing on as manager. Similarly, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said late in the season that he had “absolutely not” begun laying groundwork for a potential managerial search, calling the notion of doing so “completely disrespectful” to Snitker and his legacy within the organization.
Anthopoulos will now embark in earnest on a managerial search. Incredibly, the new hire will be just the fourth Braves manager since 1990. Cox led the team from 1990-2010, with Gonzalez stepping in from 2011-16 and Snitker helming the club since. It’s commonplace in situations like this for an organization to allow its coaching staff to at least explore new opportunities, as a new manager will generally be given plenty of say over the rest of his dugout staff. That’s not to suggest that Atlanta will have an entirely new cast of coaches next year; some members of the current staff may even be considered for the newly created vacancy. Bench coach Walt Weiss, for instance, has four years of major league managing experience and has served as Snitker’s right-hand man since 2018.
Snitker’s decision to step down means there are now a remarkable eight teams in search of a new manager this offseason — with the possibility for further turnover still existing, depending on the decisions of clubs still alive in the postseason. The Nationals, Orioles and Rockies all finished the 2025 season with interim managers after firing their skippers midseason. The Twins and Giants fired Rocco Baldelli and Bob Melvin following the season. The 2025 season was the final year of Bruce Bochy’s contract in Texas, and he won’t return to the Rangers in 2026. And the Angels, who elevated Ray Montgomery to interim manager after Ron Washington required midseason heart surgery, have announced that neither Montgomery nor Washington will return to their club next year. This winter will be the most active offseason in recent history with regard to managerial activity.
Angels To Have New Manager In 2026
The Angels are going to have a new skipper next year. Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that neither manager Ron Washington nor interim manager Ray Montgomery will return as manager in 2026.
The Halos hired Washington as their skipper ahead of the 2024 season, a two-year deal with a club option for 2026. After a 63-99 showing last year, he began 2025 back in that job. In June, it was reported that he had to step away from the club indefinitely due to an unspecified health concern, with Montgomery moving from his bench coach role to take over as interim manager. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Washington would stay on leave for the remainder of the season.
In August, Washington revealed that he had undergone a quadruple bypass to remove blockages from his heart valves. He said the health scare prompted him to quit smoking and make other lifestyle improvements. He also said he expected to be fully cleared medically in December and hoped to be back in the dugout next year.
It seems the Angels have other plans, however, and will be making a change. The club didn’t perform especially well under either manager. They were 36-38 when Washington began his leave but, as mentioned, they almost lost 100 games last year. They finished this season with a 72-90 record. Of course, a manager can only work with the roster they are given, so it’s up for debate whether the club’s lack of success has anything to do with Washington or Montgomery.
Blum adds that it’s unclear if general manager Perry Minasian will return. He is signed through 2026 with a club option for 2027. Minasian first got the gig in November of 2020. During his tenure, the club has flirted with competitive baseball but has always come up short. They won 77 games in 2021 but dropped to 73 wins in each of the next two seasons. As mentioned, they dropped to 63 last year. Getting to 72 wins in 2025 was technically an improvement over last year but it was only a return to the same unsatisfactory level of the preceding campaigns.
In time, more should be revealed about the club’s plan. They will at least need to conduct a managerial search. Whether that search is conducted by Minasian or someone else remains to be seen. If he is removed, then a front office search will likely be conducted before the managerial search. Washington and Montgomery, meanwhile, will presumably be looking for new coaching gigs elsewhere.
Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images